Socks for John

It's still too warm for wool here, but John has gotten plenty of use out of his hand knit socks on business trips to colder climates. I wasn't quite finished with this pair before he left on Sunday, so he'll be seeing them completely finished for the first time when he reads this post. Hope you like them, Honey!

Basic Short-Row Sock
Worked on 68 stitches
Needles: US 1 1/2 (2.5 mm)
Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot
Color: Granite Peak

Up Next

I'm not finished knitting for John yet. Up next is a pair of socks in Mountain Colors Bearfoot yarn. The color is called Granite Peak.

If you knit socks for very long, you will probably settle on a technique or pattern you go to over and over again. My favorite is Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts' short-row technique that she explains in her book Simple Socks Plain and Fancy. In the preface of the book she states:

When the technique is understood, the execution thereof becomes mindless. This allows you to knit plain socks mindlessly (even when brain-dead) or to put your energies into the design of the sock when an elegant accessory is the goal.

I wasn't sure about that statement the first time I tried short-row socks. It was all so unfamiliar and took lots of concentration. But the next pair was easier and soon after, I could knit a short-row sock without thinking about it. Now I can pick up a ball of sock yarn, grab a set of needles and knit a sock that fits well without ever having to look at a pattern.

Just because I'm sold on short-row socks doesn't mean you will like them too. Judging from the sock patterns out there, more people prefer heel flaps. It's good to experiment to find out what suits you best. Some people like to knit socks toe-up; some like top-down. There are those, like me, that prefer double pointed needles and others that like circulars. What's your favorite way to knit a sock?

This simple pair of socks is knitting up quickly since it's the only thing on my needles. I'm almost to the toe...short-row, of course.

Lifetime Pair #27

Another pair finished and ready to wear.

Basic Sock (Priscilla Gibson-Roberts Style)
Stitch Pattern: Garter Rib (Rnd 1: K2, p2. Rnd 2: K)
Needles: US 1 DPNs
Yarn: Happy Feet by Plymouth Yarn Co.
Color: 4

You can also find a pattern for socks like these in Sensational Knitted Socks. Garter rib stitch is simple and works well for socks for both guys and gals. This pair is for me, but the next pair will be for John.

I leave you with one picture from Friday evening's paddle in the kayak.

Sunset in the Marsh

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
the LORD bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
from those whose walk is blameless.
~Psalm 84:11

Morning in the Marsh

It was early--very early.


Somehow John convinced me to wake up at 4:00 a.m. on Saturday to go fishing in the marsh. We left the house at 4:30, arrived in Matagorda at 5:30 and launched the kayaks right around 6:00. There was just enough light in the sky for us to see where we were going without the aid of a flashlight.

Paul, John's brother, was with us. He got his boat and gear ready before we did, so we bid him good luck as he paddled off. We told him we'd meet him later at McNab Lake. John and I didn't rush the one mile paddle to the lake, but stopped to fish the oyster reefs along the way and enjoy the sunrise over the marsh.


The marsh is a beautiful and mysterious place in the early morning light. Sitting low in the kayak, all you can see is cord grass, sky and water. We were lucky to be shaded by clouds early on, but later the sun broke through with its full force and the heat began to build.


When we finally arrived at the lake we heard Paul whistling for us and calling for help. At first, we thought he was in trouble, but as we got closer, we saw his rod bent nearly in half and realized the help he needed was in landing a whopper of a fish.


Now this is a fish story that John and Paul tell much better than I ever could, so if you're interested in such things, you can check out their blogs. The landing involved a lengthy kayak tow to the far shore, some quick work with the net and above all, endurance and determination of man over beast. The catch was an alligator gar with an estimated weight over 40 pounds and a length of 43 inches.

We fished until about 11:30 and those leaving with fish for supper were the ones with the most experience. Paul brought home two redfish and John caught a flounder and a redfish. The only thing red in my boat was the sock I brought along to take a picture of. I've delayed starting this second sock for about a month. This week I'll try to complete the pair.


The paddle back to the launch-site was hard work against the current and by this time of day it was extremely hot. I have a tendency to overheat easily and though I'd been careful to stay hydrated, it wasn't enough. As we were loading the kayaks and gear, I realized I'd gotten too hot. John and I had to cut our day in Matagorda short and head home so I could recuperate. It was disappointing to say the least, but we made up for it on Sunday after church with a return trip for lunch at Spoonbills and a drive on the beach...this time in the comfort of an air-conditioned Jeep.

Think Like a Blogger

While taking photos Saturday morning for a post to be featured later this week, I came across an old weathered bench on the front porch of a historical building. I stopped to look at this bench with its peeling yellow paint and rusted cast iron.


At first I was just admiring its rustic charm, but then I began to think like a blogger--seeing the ways this bench could become relevant to my blog. Right away I knew what I needed to do. I walked back to the car to retrieve an item to add to the picture. And now...


...this bench is the perfect backdrop to the
most-difficult-to-photograph sock ever. The second sock of this pair will be cast on in a few days, after I play around with knitting a few preemie hats.

Stitch Pattern: Garter Rib
Yarn: Happy Feet
Color: 4 (Shades of red that tend to glow when photographed!)

Hooked on Matagorda

We wasted no time in getting back to Matagorda after our trip to the mountains. My sister joined us, along with our nephew who was over for a visit.

The Best Shells Are in the Surf

Dylan found some nice shells and John found some fish.

Uncle John Shows Dylan His Catch

Later, Dylan showed off his fishing skills by landing the largest fish of the day--a 12" black drum. (I'll let John post the fish picture on his blog.)

Showing Us How It's Done

Auntie Elizabeth found the honey hole and caught more fish than anyone.

First Cast

I caught nothing, but I did hook Dylan into posing with the sock I'm knitting.

Not as Big as My Fish

It's grown to just past the heel--almost a keeper.

Colorado

We arrived in Colorado this afternoon.


The weather is beautiful and we're looking forward to being outside most of the time. Lots of fishing and hiking is planned along with a shopping trip at the Estes Park Wool Market on Saturday. We're here until Monday and then we fly to Salt Lake City.

The sock I started has grown a bit. I took a picture of it at the pond in Longmont where we fished tonight. It's hard to see, but the stitch pattern I'm using is garter rib. It's an easy stitch, just perfect for travel knitting. The yarn is Happy Feet by Plymouth Yarn Co.

I won't be on the computer much this weekend, but I'll check in when I can next week. See you then.

Yarn Cozy

My travel knitting for our trip to Colorado and Utah will be a pair of socks. As I wound the wool for these socks into center pull balls, I thought of Susan B. Anderson's fruit cozy pattern. She recently suggested that it could double as a yarn cozy. I decided to test it for myself.


She was right. It fits my apple-sized ball of yarn perfectly and will keep it intact in my backpack, no matter how full it gets.

Free Pattern: Pear Apple Cozy
Yarn: Red Heart Sport
Color: 0652 Limeade
Needles: US 5 DPNs


More about the sock next time. Off to finishing packing. We leave tomorrow.

Almost a Match

You may recall I ran into a couple of snags with these socks: a stripe that was short changed in the dye process and a break in the yarn. This required a bit of extra work on my part to get the stripes back in sync.

The right way to fix the problem would have been to back up to the spot where the color began to veer off track and rejoin the yarn in the correct sequence. I didn't feel like tinking back though, so I guesstimated how much wider to make the stripe I was on to get the rest of the stripes below that point to match. Looking back, this was risky and could have turned into more work than just fixing it the right way in first place, but luck was on my side. The stripes match perfectly in all but this one spot.


My Almost Matched Socks
Yarn: Online Supersocke 100 (45% Cotton, 40% Wool, 15% Nylon)
Color: Summer Color 793
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm) DPNs

This basic sock is knit on 64 stitches and features a 1x1 ribbed cuff, stockinette leg and foot and my favorite short-row heel and toe.


And though I had some trouble with this particular skein of yarn, I still recommend it for warm weather socks. The cotton/wool blend is just right for my climate.


Also, it's the only sock yarn I've ever knit with that can stand up to machine washing and machine drying. That's a big plus when it comes to a pair of summer socks.

Knot Again

I brought a couple of knitting projects to Matagorda to work on just in case it rained or got too hot during the day to be outside. As it turned out, the rain fell at night and temperatures were cooler than normal for this time of year, so only a few inches were added to the second sock of a pair I started some time ago.


The plan is for the stripes on these socks to match.

I've learned to take good notes on the first sock in order to achieve matched stripes on the second one. It's important to know exactly where to cast on in the color sequence and where to start the heel and the toe. Once the second sock is cast on correctly, everything usually falls into place, though I make sure to check the stripes as I knit especially at the heel and toe.

This time when I compared stripes just before the heel, I discovered a problem with the yarn. It appears something happened in the dyeing process and one section of blue is not as long as it should be. See where the red stripe (on the needle) is starting too early?

And then I ran into another snag--a break in the yarn.

Looks like I may need to revise my matching stripe plan.

Simply the Best

A simple sock is often the best choice for self-patterning yarn. So that's what I chose for my last skein of Online Supersocke 100 in Summer Color 793.


This sock flew off my needles! I started it on Friday and finished it on Sunday.

It was the perfect project to knit while watching baseball on TV this weekend. And, it perhaps brought my team luck.

Superstitious baseball fans would say that since I was knitting this sock and my team won every game that I will have to keep doing this or risk jinxing the team.


Never fear, I will keep knitting. Though I wonder if it will tempt fate to start a new project instead of continuing on to the second sock?

I'm about to find out.

Socks by the Seashore

Look who's wearing new socks.


This is lifetime pair number 25.


Pattern: Primavera Socks
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino
Color: Moody Blues
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Modifications: Short-row heels and toes
Notes: A nice stitch pattern that knitted up quickly once I got the hang of the sixth round.

I finished this pair in 10 days (a record for me), but many of you could do better than that. I'm not the fastest knitter around, but I'm persistent. And, I now have a drawer full of socks to prove it.

Every Sixth Round

The key to executing the sixth round of this sock has everything to do with the round before.


But let me back up before I get too far ahead of myself.

First, I want to thank Karen of Weathertop Farm for the gorgeous yarn. I won it in a comment contest on her blog, along with an Amy Butler skirt pattern and a few other goodies.


The yarn is Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Merino in a mix of deep blues called Moody Blues. I wanted to find a simple sock pattern for this yarn, but not a plain one--something I could knit without having to concentrate too hard on what I was doing.

I found that with Primavera Socks. The stitch pattern is alternating knit and purl columns with increases and decreases worked every 6th round. Very easy to memorize.

The sixth round sounded simple enough: p2, m1R, k2, p3tog, k2, m1L, p2. But, when it actually came to executing these stitches, I was surprised to find out it was difficult for me.

I expected to slow down a little on p3tog, but not on m1R. My stitches were so tight, I could hardly pick up the strand of yarn between. I began to dread round six which became a fight with yarn and needles.

I almost abandoned this sock completely, but then I smartened up and began to loosen my tension on round five and now all is well...every sixth round.

I Need a Bigger Sock Drawer

This is lifetime pair number 24.



My Version of Baby Cable Rib Socks
Sensational Knitted Socks
With Short-Row Heels and Toes the PG-R Way
Worked on 48 Stitches
Yarn: Reynolds Soft Sea Wool (100% Wool)
Color: 754 Yellow
Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm) DPNs

The whole time I was knitting these socks, I went back and forth on whether I liked the yarn or not. It's much different than any other sock yarn I've used before: two ply and with a springy twist. On one hand, its stretchy quality produces great stitch definition, which I love. On the other hand, I found the elasticity a challenge to work with. I never really got used to it.

The end result however, is a pretty pair of socks with a cushy, comfortable feel and I believe that overrides any negative feeling I had in the way the yarn handled for me. Plus, this yarn is a great bargain! I paid only $5.95 per hank (162 yds), using just two hanks for these socks with some yarn left over.

If you've used Soft Sea Wool before, I'd be interested to hear what you think about it. Do you love it? Hate it? Indifferent?

Overall I like it, though it's not my favorite. And, I'd use it again, especially when I want the stitches in a pattern to really make a statement.

Checking In

We made it home safely on Monday evening. The drive was exactly 9 hours long. However, I didn't knit in the car like I thought I would. So, no progress to show on Clapotis.

The other project I have going is a pair of socks. The first sock is finished and the second is started. Here's a sneak peek of the stitch pattern.



I'm using Baby Cable Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks plugged into Priscilla Gibson-Roberts' formula for sock knitting. So, you know there are also short-row heels and toes. The yarn is Soft Sea Wool.

I could have these socks finished in a day or two, if I put some effort into them, but knitting this week will not come easy. There are too many things scheduled that take priority over yarn and needles. And, that's the way it should be...sometimes.

Monkey Socks

I've been in a sock knitting rut lately, knitting only simple stockinette stitch. But no more! Here's proof that I can actually execute a yarn-over and even carry the stitch pattern across the instep. It's been a long time, I know.



Monkey
Yarn: Pagewood Farm Hand Dyed Sock Yarn
Fiber Content: 70% Merino, 20% Bamboo, 10% Nylon
Color: Butterfly
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm) DPNs
Start: 2/4/08
Finish: 2/20/08
Lifetime Total: 23



Of course, I had to stick to my preferred heel and toe: short-rows the PG-R way. It was a perfect match for these socks. I worked six repeats of the lace pattern, then began the set up for the heel. It always looks better to have about an inch of stockinette stitch before starting the short-row shaping. This required working one more repeat.

I don't think I caught the fever to knit multiple pairs of Monkeys like some people, but I did enjoy making them. The best part of these socks to me though is not the pattern, but the yarn. The bamboo content gives the yarn a silky feel. Heaven to knit with and oh so comfortable to wear. This is my favorite sock yarn so far.



My next pair of socks is well underway and they aren't stockinette stitch. See, I really am out of my rut.

Two Days

Saturday was a washout weather-wise (threatening storms and tornado watches), so we stayed home for a change. I spent most of the day with a pair of knitting needles in my hand. The result: my scarf grew several inches and the second sock of a pair I haven't even blogged about yet is well underway.

Sunday was the complete of opposite of Saturday. It was a glorious day of sunshine and mild temperatures. So after church, I packed up my knitting, John grabbed his fishing gear and we headed out for our favorite place--Matagorda Beach.



See how much the scarf has grown from last week?



This is my mindless knitting project. It's super simple: K3, P3 one row, then knit the purls and purl the knits on the other row. It's the alternating colors that give this stitch pattern interest.


Classic Elite Inca Alpaca
Blue and Gray

And the socks I'm working on?



The ever popular Monkeys.


Pagewood Farm Hand Dyed Sock Yarn
Butterfly

I'll have more to say about these when they're finished, which should be soon.



John didn't catch any fish, but he had fun trying.